?Chicks wont eat fermented food

[lereg]

Try just wet feed in Oatmeal consistency. Mine took to that right away.
I won't ferment till those obnoxious little squirts are outside lol

Make sure you feed dry as well

Well, I finally fermented another batch for 2 days, and they are starting to eat it now! I still have the dry food available for them, but I made a makeshift feeder with a cooler cup holder and a sawed off 6" pvc cap. The waste has minimalized since! How do you feed them the fermented food, as in, what do you feed them in?

 

[lereg]

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I reuse pie plates and other little disposable things for wet mash. Lots of little low sided things out of the recycling. Metal works better with frequent pecking & washing. Even things like tuna-sized tin cans and take-out containers can be fair game.

BTW, totally laughed at the mental image of them thinking fermented food was an awesome foot bath. There is always one of them that thinks standing in the middle of the food is the only place to be

 

[lereg]

I reuse pie plates and other little disposable things for wet mash. Lots of little low sided things out of the recycling. Metal works better with frequent pecking & washing. Even things like tuna-sized tin cans and take-out containers can be fair game.

How do you keep them out of it, and from soiling it?

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

How do you keep them out of it, and from soiling it?

smallest containers available, multiple ones, and spread them out.

they spend their time running between the containers, it reduces the 'standing-in' and fighting.
Just one or two spoonfuls per dish and they have to run to the next one.

 

[lereg]

smallest containers available, multiple ones, and spread them out.

they spend their time running between the containers, it reduces the 'standing-in' and fighting.

I'll try it

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I'll try it

ideally a tin they can't stand it while eating (feet to beak ratio )

 

[lereg]

ideally a tin they can't stand it while eating (feet to beak ratio )

I may try to find some mini pie pans for them . Right now I'm using the old feeder, with the holes on the top. I don't fill it up, just the bottom of it.

 

[hrt4desh]

You might consider something plastic for their ferment. My metal containers rusted after continual use. The only thing that hasn't rusted is the gutter piece I have attached in my chicken tractor. But the not-so-little squirts stand in it so I'm trying to figure out a work around.

 

[lereg]

You might consider something plastic for their ferment. My metal containers rusted after continual use. The only thing that hasn't rusted is the gutter piece I have attached in my chicken tractor. But the not-so-little squirts stand in it so I'm trying to figure out a work around.

For the fermentation, I use a old m&ms container. For feeding them I'm also using the original feeder that I used when they were smaller. This morning I put the quart top on it. They are still hesitant, but have been munching on it!